


The Continued Adventures of Joe Jonas: boy cheerleader {PROM}

by liketheroad



Series: Joe Jonas: boy cheerleader [3]
Category: Disney RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-11
Updated: 2011-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-17 22:51:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/182157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liketheroad/pseuds/liketheroad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PROM. Joe and Demi as BFFs ~eternally. Shopping. Slow dancing. Lines inspired from HMS3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Continued Adventures of Joe Jonas: boy cheerleader {PROM}

Joe and Demi meet for chili fries and girl-talk every Saturday afternoon at the mall in between their two houses. Sometimes Nick drives Joe and David drives Demi, and they pass the time camped out at sporting equipment store while Joe and Demi catch up.

They talk on the phone almost every night, too, which is something that just started happening after awhile. At first, Demi called Joe about cheerleading stuff, strictly business, but the conversations tended to veer, to get longer and further away from when the next practice was or what Joe needed to bake for the next fundraiser. Overtime, she's stopped calling for any reason at all, and now Joe will smile when it gets to be after eight, when Demi's minutes are cheaper, and count down in his head until his phone buzzes. Nick will always smile, rolling off the bed he and Joe had been lying on together, or getting up off the chair they were sharing, kissing Joe on the forehead and telling him to say "hi" for him.

But even with seeing each other every day at school, and talking to each other every night, Joe is protective of their Saturday afternoons. He guards them from family events, chores, homework, and even Nick. Not that he has to work very hard at it where Nick's concerned. Nick loves Demi, and not even just because she makes David happy and occasionally refers to Joe as "co-captain" of the cheersquad while Nick's in earshot. Mostly it's just because she's Demi, and she makes Nick laugh. It's kind of one of the biggest reasons Joe likes her, too.

Anyway, Nick respects their time together, and he never pushes to shorten it, even though he and David do occasionally share jokey, long-suffering sighs when they meet up all together before breaking into pairs to give Joe and Demi time to do their thing.

Their _thing_ is mostly eating as messily as they can, making obscene noises through their straws as they suck up milkshakes, and, on occasion, giggling hysterically at each other.

But with prom coming, and graduation, Demi's been more serious, lately. She's always asking Joe about whether or not he's decided on a school yet, prodding him gently but persistently to choose, to tell his parents that he's not going to study theology like they want him to or even appease them by choosing something like a nice respectable business degree. He can usually get her to stop with a moody sigh, and then she'll roll her eyes and tell him he's not cute, but she almost always changes the discussion after that anyways.

Besides, before graduation comes prom, and even though after that, the Future looms, Demi does have her priorities. On the second Saturday before prom, they go for lunch instead of an afternoon snack, eating salads in preparation for the Big Day.

They've been on reconnaissance missions, but today is the day they actually have to buy their outfits. Demi has her top three dresses picked out, and there are a few suits Joe likes okay, but none of them make him feel... well. The way he imagines Demi feels when she spins herself around the dressing room, with folds and folds of gently shimmering taffeta sweeping across her ankles.

It's stupid to want that. For everything he might get away with at games, Joe knows he can't actually wear a dress to prom. He also knows he shouldn't _want_ to, but that's a separate problem. One Joe is happy to ignore. This whole prom thing is making it hard, though, and mostly he doesn't even know why he's bothering. Doesn't even know why he's going.

He tells Demi so, not for the first time, as they're standing in front of yet another dressing room mirror. Demi smooths the shoulder of Joe's suit, and doesn't say anything in response as he frowns at his reflection in dissatisfaction.

It's a nice suit. Classic, classy. Jet black with velvet lapels, but tasteful. Nick would look great in this suit.

The only parts he likes are underneath. He's wearing a silver shirt and a dark purple bow tie, and his hands keep coming up to touch the soft fabric, feel the smooth silk under his fingers.

"This is stupid," Joe says for probably the tenth time that day.

Demi sighs and hits him sharply on the shoulder. He turns behind to look at her, quick and surprised. She usually puts up with his incessant complaining with eye rolls and fond jokes at his expense. Like Nick does.

"Stop being such a baby, Jonas."

Joe straightens up. Demi only calls him _Jonas_ when she's getting pissed. He didn't realize he was being that annoying yet. He thought he had at least another hour. Minimum.

"Sorry," he mumbles, touching his tie again. It only makes him feel a little bit better.

Demi sighs and pats him where she hit him. "We'll find you something you like, I promise."

"This is fine," Joe says, tiredly. He just wants to be done.

Demi shakes her head. "Fine isn't fine. This is your _prom_."

Joe never even thought he'd go to prom. Never once looked forward to it, or even imagined himself going, not in all his years in junior high, in high school. Then, suddenly, it had been June and what had been a low buzz in his ear all year long was suddenly all everyone could talk about. Even _Nick_ had asked him about it. He hadn't asked him to go, of course, that wasn't - they couldn't - but he'd asked Joe what color corsage he wanted, like everything else was already assumed, already in place.

He thinks distantly that if anyone was supposed to be making the plans, that would be him, but mostly he's left it up to Demi, left it up to her to drag him around, half trying, half sulking, busier imagining the prom he wishes he could have than coping with the arrangements for the one he has to go to.

"It doesn't matter," Joe says, sounding petulant even to his own ears, still glaring at his own reflection. He looks awkward, limbs shoved into clothes in which they don't belong. His fingers drum at this sides as he resists tugging unhappily at the sleeve of his jacket.

Demi restrains herself from hitting him again, but she eyes him critically in the mirror. "I know you can't go with who you want, but going with Selena is the next best thing. And most of the squad will be there, and the team. Prom is important, Joe. It's a rite of passage." She smiles. "I know you know this, you've watched the movies at the team sleepovers."

Joe smiles. He's really going to miss those now that he's almost graduated. "This suit is stupid, then," he compromises, and Demi laughs.

"Yeah, you're right." She leans in, and kisses him on the cheek. "Let's keep looking."

\---

"Do you know why I finally decided to start dating David?" Demi asks two stores later, holding her arm out as she tries out another dress, tilting her head contemplatively as she watches the skirt twirl.

Joe considers the question. According to Nick, David liked Demi _forever_. But it wasn't because of that, Joe is pretty sure. When Nick had come to him, months earlier, and said, "Forever, Joe, seriously. He talks about it all the time, man. You're her friend, can't you do something about that? You know, put in a good word?" Joe had been forced to shake his head, and tell Nick no for one of the first time's ever. He hadn't known how to explain it to Nick, at the time, but friendships with girls just didn't work that way. Nick had let it go, and Joe hadn't pushed, so it isn't that.

He puzzles for a little while longer, but then gives up and says, "Nope. Why?"

Demi stops twirling and tilts her head at Joe instead and says, "It was because of you."

Joe raises his eyebrows and shrugs at her like a question. "I don't get it."

She smiles, and pats his cheek. "I have one other place I want us to try for your suit, okay?"

Joe blinks, "Yeah, sure, but what does that have to do with...?"

"I just want to make sure you trust me, first, that's all."

Joe doesn't even know what to say. Of course he trusts her. She's Demi. He hadn't even known what friends were, what caring about anyone who wasn't family even meant, until her. He trusts her more than anyone who isn't Nick. Isn't Kevin. He knows, now, how much her approval and friendship has protected him from, all this time. He'll never forget the way his legs shook the first time he put on his skirt again after getting hit for wearing it, legs so wobbly he thought for a minute there that he was going to fall down. But Demi had been there, standing right behind him, punching him in the shoulder and telling him he looked hot, and the shaking had stopped. He'd been able to breathe again, to grin at her and high-five about their mutual hotness before they ran out onto the court with the rest of the squad. She's been there for him in big moments like that, an in a thousand little ones along the way. He'll always trust Demi.

"I trust you," he assures her, firmer for his surprise that he has to say it at all.

Her answering smile is warm, pleased, and she asks him to help unzip her dress before she ducks into the changing room to put her jeans and top back on.

They walk out of the mall and down a few blocks and then end up at a weird little vintage store Joe doesn't really feel like enough of a hipster to go into, but he follows her obediently.

She walks right up to the counter and says, "Can I have it?" And the girl behind the counter nods like she knows exactly what Demi's talking about, disappearing for a second and then emerging from behind the counter with a garment bag she hands to Demi.

Demi waves Joe to follow her to the back, and then holds the bag out to him. "I found this when I was doing some early scouting, and I wasn't sure if it would be the right thing, but it wasn't too expensive, and I had a feeling, and... anyway, I bought it. You don't have to wear it, I just thought you might want to try." She bites her lip, hopeful but uncertain.

Joe peers in warily, but it just looks like a normal suit. The color makes him smile, it's black but a little bit sparkly, somehow, like there's crushed glass woven into the fabric.

He goes into the changing room, and slips out of his own clothes and into the ones Demi has chosen for him. He wears the shirt and tie they bought after Demi told Joe to smarten up. He likes the pants, lines the smooth line of the leg, but he doesn't get it until he puts on the coat. It's long. It looks normal, from the front, fits him perfectly, but it has tails. Long tails almost like... almost like the train of a dress, he allows himself to think, eyes closed for a minute, and then he opens his eyes, and spins. The tails twirl behind him and he imagines himself on the center of the dance floor, with cheesy music and Nick's hands around his waist, and Joe wants more than anything to really have that, and to have it in this suit.  
  
He hurtles out of the changing room, into the viewing area he left Demi in, and her fact splits into a huge, delighted smile.

"Joe! You look perfect," she gushes, running over to smooth the fabric of his lapels.

"Thank you," Joe says, the lump in his throat making it impossible to say anything else.

Demi smiles, and says, "You're welcome."

\---

As they're waiting on the curb at the front entrance of the mall to get picked up by David and Nick, Demi finally finishes the conversation she started hours before.

"I knew he liked me. I knew he liked me for _years_ , and I knew how much. And I always... it made me scared. Not because I thought he'd do anything - I don't mean it like that. He never pushed - it was just because I knew that if I let myself... if I said yes to even just one date, then that would be it. I knew he'd make me fall in love with him, and at fourteen, fifteen... that's scary." She smiles. "It's still scary. But when I met you, when we became friends and I started spending time with you and Nick, when I realized what..." She goes quiet, looking at Joe carefully. They don't discuss this, don't acknowledge, at least most of the time, that she knows. "You're so brave, both of you. You listen to your hearts and you're braver than anything I know, Joe. Especially you. And I couldn't help but want to be brave like that, even just a little. Even if it was just saying yes, just once. So when he asked me to dance, remember, at that end of the year party? When he asked and I looked over at you and Nick, just talking in the corner, just talking, but you were making each other smile so easily, so bright, and it was so beautiful, I just... I had to say yes. Had to be brave. And I was right. He did make me love him. So quickly." Her face changes, and Joe knows her thoughts are far away in that memory, now.

She's beautiful, and Joe looks at her, heart in his throat, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to ask her why she's even telling him this.

She smiles, seeing the question Joe can't articulate on his face and explains, "You did that, Joe. You gave me that courage. And I can't... repay you in the ways I wish I could. I can't find you the world you and Nick need, not really. But I could find you that suit, and I can help give you your prom. I can find a way that you get your dance, together. I can find the right accessories to make you feel a little bit like it's your day. And I do these things because you're my friend, and I love you. I do them because you made me believe, as cheesy as it sounds, in the power of love. In it's power to do anything. It's just a stupid suit, maybe, but I just wanted you to know why it means so much to me, why I've been forcing you on these trips, making you listen to all the limo arrangements and pick out corsages and everything else. I just want you to have something good to remember, even if it's not quite what I wish you could have."

Joe can't talk, can't thank her, not for something that big, not for loving him when she should probably recoil, but he hugs her, sitting there on the cement curb, and she laughs, almost like she's crying, and hugs him back.

\---

Nick and David saunter over while Joe and Demi are still hugging, and they glance at each other quickly before coming all the way over. Joe and Demi both turn away to smile up at them, and David and Nick each offer them a hand up from the curb.

Other times, Joe would pretend to flail dramatically into Nick's arms, but he's not really feeling up to theatrics right now.

Demi and David kiss and Joe and Nick settle for smiling tightly at each other and waiting for theirs until they've said good-bye and are three blocks away, stopped at a red light. They kiss hard, but briefly. Safety first, and all that.

"Did you find something you like?" Nick asks, voice carefully neutral after a few too many slightly hysterical responses to this question in the past.

But this time Joe can smile, and nod, and say, "Demi found it, but yeah." He pats the bags on his lap with satisfaction, and Nick ducks his head shyly.

"Can I see?"

Joe laughs, light and happy, and says, "Not until prom," not really knowing if this is a real rule, but deciding to pretend it is either way.

Nick looks momentarily disappointed, and Joe almost caves because apparently he's just that easy, but then Nick is nodding like it makes sense, and he says, "Just as long as what I'm wearing will match, we'll be good, right?"

Joe looks out the window, cause he can't face Nick's hopeful, loving eyes right now, but he makes himself smile into the reflection on the window and says, "Yeah, Nick. We'll be good."

\---

Joe originally planned to go stag, because he figured if he had to go at all, he at least didn't want to potentially hurt some poor girl in the process. But then Demi was snapping her fingers and telling him about how she had a perfect plan to get Nick into prom by being one of the graduating cheerleaders' date, and that all he had to do was go with a junior who wanted to attend, and Joe was agreeing before he realized the graduating cheerleader in question was, for reasons that still fully escape Joe, Taylor. So now he's going to Selena, and Nick is going with Taylor, and even though Joe's life rarely makes sense, it usually makes more sense than that. But despite the fact that Joe doesn't exactly know how Demi got Selena and Taylor to agree, or why she even thinks it's a good idea, he's not about to ask her, either.

Just like Demi isn't going to ask him about the hotel room he has booked under his and Nick's names.

He makes the call that evening, books the room in a moment of reckless want, giving in to a need deep in his gut to just throw the last of his caution to the wind and risk something so huge even while they're trying to be so careful about so much else. He doesn't consult Nick before calling, knowing just looking at Nick would make him change his mind, not because Nick would try, but because Joe would never let himself be that selfish in the face of Nick, of remembering this started out, once upon a time, as being about protecting him. Those early plans of distraction seem so distant now. So far from the path he's found himself going further down day after day.

He tells Nick after, when the phone is hung up and they already have his credit card number. He goes and finds Nick doing homework in his room, and Nick looks at him expectantly, wondering where he's been.

"I got us a place," Joe says, not knowing how else to put it.

Nick moves from lying his stomach on the floor into a sitting position, and he raises his eyebrows at Joe, waiting for him to say more.

"For the night," Joe says, waving one hand, hoping Nick will understand which one he means. "For us."

Nick doesn't say anything, he just regards Joe for a long time, before nodding seriously and getting up off the floor. He walks over to Joe and puts his hands on Joe's hips, and for a minute the hug almost feels like dancing.

\---

Joe expects it to take massive amount of maneuvering to finesse his parents into the whole hotel room thing, but before he even begins his campaign, Nick just walks up to their parents while they were making dinner and says, "Since prom is probably going to go really late, and we don't want to bother you guys or wake up Frankie coming home, I thought me and Joe might just get a hotel room, stay the night out there." And then he smiles disarmingly and says, "Plus, that way you know we won't get into any trouble." Nick almost never takes advantage of the fact that their parents believe Joe is the troublemaker and Nick is the good son, but Joe isn't exactly about to complain about the effortless way he's working it to their advantage in that moment.

Joe holds his breath and waits as his parents exchange a look and then give in with the kind of indulgent smile they only ever gave to Nick, and occasionally, Frankie. Nick only gives them a small smile in return, keeping the rest of his reaction quiet in their presence. Joe gets the highlights of it when Nick cups Joe's face and kisses his mouth, soft but claiming, his other fingers clutching at the fabric of Joe's shirt when they get upstairs less than five minutes later.

So they're going. As close to together as they possibly can, sharing a limo with David and Demi and Selena and, most improbably of all, Taylor. It will be kind of like a triple date, only the awkwardest one Joe can imagine being on that doesn't involve his parents. They're going, and at the end of the night, instead of going back to the bedrooms they'd slept in their whole lives, they'll spend the night alone together, and even if they don't get to live out any of the others, at least they'll get to share that particular rite of passage only with each other.

\---

School isn't so much about school these days as it is about making final prom arrangements and gossiping about who will fit into their dress and who is going to ditch who before the end of the night.

Joe doesn't really participate in this kind of talk, but he listens, carefully filing away the details of who is dating who and who wishes they were dating someone else. Demi taught him early on that relationship politics were as important to the success of a squad as any routine, so he always makes sure to know as much about the other girls on the team as he can. It always been easy enough, since he likes most of them, but it's only through his diligent spying that Joe finally figures out that the reason Selena is going with him to prom instead of someone else she actually likes is because she can't go to prom with the person she _does_ actually like.

He's in the library, flipping through the student guide Northwestern sent him, when he sees Selena duck behind the stacks in the Art History section. He adjusts his position so he can watch the spot she disappeared behind above the top of his book, and a few minutes later, Taylor walks by, nonchalantly browsing through the shelves, and he sees Selena's arm shoot out, grabbing Taylor and pulling her back there with her.

Joe knows that rationally they could just be whispering secrets, talking in the shadows the way he's seen girls do plenty of times, but he also knows the feel of a hand closing around his wrist, tugging him into dark corners and places half forgotten. He knows the feel of lips on lips in the dark of the janitors closet, knows the sounds of nothing but two hearts racing in time.

They've never been nearly careful enough, and whatever rules Joe wishes he had about maintaining some level of decorum at school, on the grounds at least, have always fallen to the wayside when Nick needed him, and sometimes he couldn't make it through a whole school day without pulling Joe into dark spaces with him, wrists pinned against walls to keep them from wandering.

So he knows. Knows how it feels, knows what it looks like. He hears muffled kisses and quiet laughter as they try to hush each other, and he straightens up in his seat, scanning the library, watching for intruders. He should go, but he feels a sharp pull of solidarity with them, partners in a crime they didn't know the other was committing, and instead of picking up his books and leaving them to their fate, Joe stays still, keeping watch until Selena finally emerges, straightening her skirt and running her hands through her hair to smooth its rumpled frizziness.

She sees Joe and stops short, glancing behind her when she should just smile innocently. Joe feels like he should tell her she needs to get better at this, but instead he just waves, friendly, innocuous, and she waves back.

She comes over and says _hi_ because they're technically friends, and prom dates, and Joe keeps her talking until someone sees them together, until Taylor has left the library and anyone who might wonder how Selena's lipstick got slightly smeared will assume it was because she was hiding in the library with her official prom date instead of her secret one.

\---

Nick's snappy and restless at lunch, and Joe has a sinking feeling the whole time he tries to eat his sandwich.

He eventually gives it up as a bad job, tossing the rest into the garbage and giving Demi the big eyes, but she just shakes her head at him and whisks David away to go for a walk before class starts again. Nick regards Joe silently, a deep frown on his face.

Joe sighs to himself, and gets up, "Let's go for a walk, too."

Nick nods and gets up with him, but he doesn't offer Joe his elbow like he usually would. Joe reminds himself he should be glad, grateful that they can just walk side by side with a normal amount of space between them. Like brothers would.

Joe takes them to the field because that's just where they go, and they climb the stands until they get to the top of the bleachers, looking down at the site of so many victories, and some even sharper defeats.

"I didn't actually _do_ anything with her, you know that, right?" Joe asks when Nick still doesn't speak.

Nick nods and continues glaring at the clouds above them instead of looking at Joe's face. "I know that."

"Then what, Nick? Is it just the fact that I'm going with her at all? Because you know it's not--"

"I _know_ , Joe. I know why. That's the whole problem - that's the point. You have to go with Selena and I have to go with Taylor and none of us get to dance with who we want, and that's what we have to do. I get it. I don't have to like it. You can't ask me to like it."

"I don't like it either," Joe protests, slightly scandalized that he even has to say so.

Nick shrugs moodily and says, "Would you like it if you were going with someone else?"

Joe tries to shake the crazy out of his ears, and it totally doesn't work. "Who else would I want to go with?"

Nick bites his lip, clearly fighting the words as they try to escape, but he loses the battle and says out of the corner of his mouth, "Demi."

Joe's whole face spasms from surprise and he waves his hands in the air just to absorb some of the shock. "Are you serious?"

Nick scratches his elbow and frowns at his shoes. "You love her."

"I love _you_ , Nick. I've always loved you." He doesn't try to stop the anger in his voice, almost shaking with it.  
  
"But you love her, too," Nick digs in.  
  
"Not like that. Not like you." Joe runs a hand through his hair. "Jesus, Nick. Where the hell is this coming from?"

Nick shrugs. "You've been spending a lot more time with her, and I know she - she can give you things that I - you could--"

"Nick, Nick, shut up," Joe silences him with a soft voice and a firm hand on Nick's knee. His mind races, trying to catch up. "This is because she got into Northwestern, right? Because you know I've made my decision even if I haven't told anyone," he's talking fast, trying to quell his own panic as much as Nick's. "This isn't because I did anything, it's not because you've suddenly lost your faith in me," Nick finally looks him then, appearing horrified at the thought, and it gives Joe the strength to continue. "This is just because you're scared. I need you to see that. I need you to not let that make you doubt me." He shakes his head. "I also super need you to not take that out on Demi. She loves you, too, you understand? And god, David. Tell me you haven't said anything like this to David?"

Nick shakes his head, a hard _no_ , and Joe breathes a little easier.

Joe puts his hand on Nick's cheek, the left hand that still wears Nick's ring, and he says, "Even if we can't really dance together, even if we have to pretend to have other dates, you know you're my one and only, and that I'm yours. Tell me you know that, Nick."

Nick leans closer, resting his head on Joe's shoulder, and says, "I know that."

There are other people down below them, playing a pick-up game of soccer, but Joe lets Nick lace their fingers together anyway. They stay there for a long time, not talking, just looking at the sky, holding hands.

\---

Demi has a dress fitting that afternoon, and Joe goes with her.

The dress she's finally settled on is white with a shimmer of peach. It has a thick black sash around the waist, tying in a large bow at the small of her back. She's still debating wearing her hair up, or down, and Joe knows she likes it better down, but he doesn't try to influence her decision. Bossing girls around about their hair is just another thing Joe is unwilling to do.

She gathers her hair up at her neck, pushing it up in a bunch above her head, peering at herself in the mirror. She's barefoot in her dress, her make-up from the day half-worn away, and she's so beautiful, for a minute, Joe almost thinks he could kiss her, but then she turns to him, grinning, and she's just Demi again. His best friend, almost his sister.

"I think I'm going to wear it up. Maybe get one of those tiara things," she laughs. "Do you think I can pull that off?"

Joe grins back at her and says, "Only you."

\---

In the car on the way home, Joe realizes she's wearing her hair up because Joe is going to wear his down. Not that he doesn't always, but it's almost at his shoulders now, thick and soft, and she talks the whole ride home about how they might do it, whether they should try to straighten it into a feathered look or more smooth waves that cup his face.

David, who is driving, weighs in, "You should do the feathered thing, like when we played for the soccer championship last year. That looked badass." He smiles into the rear view mirror to let Joe know he's serious, and Joe smiles uncertainly back.

He really likes David, because David is good to two of his favorite people, but they don't exactly talk. He doesn't know what David thinks of what he and Nick have, beyond assuming that David knows, that he does what he can to protect Nick from the brunt of what it means that he knows.

Demi makes an undecided noise, twisting around in her seat to look at Joe in the back, and she says, "I don't know. Something a little more edgy might look good with the suit. How do you feel about trimming your bangs a little, rocking the side-part a little more?"

Joe shrugs, touching his hair. He likes it now. Likes how long it is, likes the feel of Nick's fingers twisted around it. That's as much as he knows. "Just not too short," he says quietly, giving her a small smile.

"Oh well, no. Of course not. Just a little in the bangs, to frame your face more. Like in your yearbook photo from this year."

Joe has to admit he looked pretty hot in that picture. He's still making up his mind, though, until David snorts a laugh and says, "You mean the one Nick still carries around in his wallet? Yeah. That'll work."

Joe keeps his head down, and doesn't look at either of them until he can wipe at least 30% of the enormous grin off his face.

"Yeah," he says when he can talk without squeaking with happiness, "Let's try that then."

Demi laughs, and David turns up the radio so they can all sing along.

\---  
  
Nick keeps trying to sneak looks at Joe the whole day of prom, showing up unannounced in Joe's bedroom at fifteen to twenty minute intervals all day, like eventually Joe is going to forget and Nick will be able to catch him in his suit.  
  
He doesn't even bother to tell Nick the suit and all the other stuff for prom is over at Demi's, because Nick's thwarted face is too hilarious to pass up seeing over and over all day long. It's one of the only things keeping Joe's nerves even vaguely in check, but he tells himself he's doing it for the laughs, not the way it slows the race of his heart.  
  
Finally, just before dinner, when Nick barges in yet again, Joe has to enjoy his last chuckle and say, "In twenty minutes, Demi is picking me up, and we're getting ready at her house. During which time you and David will be getting the limo and picking up Selena and Taylor. You will not see me in my suit until that after you have completed those tasks. Which reminds me, you should probably go get dressed now, and worry less about whether or not I am." He smiles, softening the way he's actually telling Nick to go away.

Nick pouts a little, but mostly just so Joe will kiss the pout off him. He breaks the kiss when he hears Frankie run by down the hall, the reality of where they are slamming back into him, as always, almost too late.

"Want me to show you before I go?" Nick says, and Joe realizes Nick must have nerves of his own.

He kisses Nick's nose and says, "I'm saving that, just let me anticipate it a little longer."

Nick smiles, bashful and proud, and slips out of Joe's room without another word.

\---

Demi is all business when she picks him up, talking a mile a minute about last second changes to her hair and his hair and having an argument with herself about whether or not the lilies she got for the corsages are lame because they have yellow and maroon centers, which clash with her outfit, but she wanted them anyway because they're like the cheer uniforms and eventually Joe has to put a hand on her shoulder and say, "Dem, hey. Chill," before they crash and die in a totally tragic and cliched way.

She laughs, a little hysterically at first, but then more easily, shaking her head at herself. "Sorry about that."

He smiles. "It's okay. You've been kind of bottling up the crazy and just worrying about me the past couple weeks. You're allowed to freak out, too. I'm here."

She flaps a hand at him, and he offers her one of his hands for Demi to grab and pull to her mouth, kissing the palm of Joe's hand before letting him go.

"I'm really glad you joined the squad, Joe," she says, her voice a little too bright and high with with-held emotion.

Joe smiles out at the town that flies past them in the front windshield and says, "Me, too."

\---

At Demi's house, Joe says _hi_ to her mom and sister, gets offered a cookie he doesn't have time to eat, and then gets hustled upstairs by Demi.

Demi's bedroom has a bathroom attached, and they camp out there, their clothes lain out side by side on her bed.

Demi stands in front of her mirror, putting on make-up and talking, still a little frantically, but mostly her normal Demi stream of consciousness, the way she has a million times before a game, and Joe's attention drifts, standing in front of the bed, his hands reaching out against his will to touch the shimmering fabric. It feels so smooth under his fingertips, and he wonders why people don't wear things this soft and pretty everyday. If Joe was in charge, everyone would be allowed to wear toile and taffeta all the time.

He zones out so long Demi actually comes out of the bathroom, one hand on her hip, the other holding out a eye linger pencil.

"Do you want to try it on?" she asks softly.

Joe's hands spasm, and he pulls them away. He does. He wants to. But he knows if he does, he won't be able to take it off. Not until Nick sees, not until Nick takes it off for him.

He shakes his head, hard and fast, and she nods, sighing quietly.

"Can you come help me with my hair?" she prompts instead of encouraging the idea further.

Joe puts on a smile and says, "Absolutely."

\---

Getting ready takes them over an hour, but when they're done, Joe can only stare back at his and Demi's reflections and beam.

"We look so good together," he says, voice hushed, almost awed.

She bumps their hips together, grinning and says, "We clean up nice, no doubt about it."

He grabs her hand, just for a second, squeezing, and says, "Thank you," because even though he's said it before, he needs her to hear it now.

She puts her arm around his waist, hugging him like that, and says, "You're most welcome."

\---

When the doorbell rings and they know it's David and Nick, Demi and Joe just stare at each other for a long moment, caught in some dizzying mix of anticipation and panic. For a second there, Joe thinks neither of them is going to be able to do this, that they're going to dive under Demi's bed together and hide the night away, foraging for crackers and battling dust bunnies. But then he remembers that it's Nick down there, waiting for him, and she must remember the same about David, because they both snap out of it in the same instant, almost racing each other down the stairs to the door.

They have to stop short in front of the door, checking each other out and smoothing skirts and lapels before finally opening the door together.

David and Nick are standing there, side by side, bouquets of matching lilies in each other their hands.

Nick's hair is tussled loosely the way Joe loves it best, a few curls hanging into his face, swept just slightly to the side, His suit is perfect, all black with a maroon cummerbund that matches Joe's corsage perfectly.

They're both speechless, grinning at each other helplessly, and Joe is so happy he barely feels the pang of loss when David pulls Demi in for a kiss under the doorway and Joe and Nick can only continue standing there, beaming at each other endlessly.

"You look --" Nick stammers, shoving the flowers at Joe like they're his only defense. Joe takes them, smiling down at them, and it seems to help Nick find his words, "Perfect." He comes closer, putting a hand on Joe's shoulder, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "You look perfect, Joe."

"You, too," Joe promises him, meaning it so much.

Nick smiles back, and then turns to Demi, waving his hands in appreciation and kissing her cheek too. "You're beautiful," he says to her, and she and David both smile at him for the compliment.

"We should go," Demi says, nodding at the door, the limo parked outside with Selena and Taylor waiting in it.

Joe nods, but then Demi's mom rushes them, snapping pictures and insisting they all pose for group shots at the foot of the stairs. They make token protests, but let her line them up, side by side in a row of four, Joe nestled in between Demi and Nick, David making the end of the line at Demi's other side, and they all put their arms around each other, grinning as hard as their faces will let them, as Mrs. Lovato captures the moment forever.

\---

There's non-alcoholic champagne and chocolate in the limo, and they laugh and sing, the six of them together, toasting each other as they drive. As they're nearing the school, Joe slides open the sunroof and climbs half way out of the car, throwing up his arms and cheering wordlessly into the night. The wind whips at his perfect hair and Demi laughs and protests, but Joe closes his eyes and shouts louder, held steady against the force of the wind by Nick's hands, wrapped securely around his waist.

\---

They walk in together, all six of them, arms linked, through the open double doors into the gym that has been fully decked out for the prom's _Under the Sea_ theme ( first made popular with it's revival last year when Kevin campaigned a hard six months to have that be his prom's theme). For a second, as they set into the sparkling dance floor, Joe wants more than anything to let go of Selena and grab for Nick's hand, but she smiles at him tightly, like she knows the feeling too well to let either of them get away with it, and he smiles back, and finally remembers to tell her she looks amazing. She smiles, nodding an acknowledgment, and they all walk towards the punch bowl together.

Demi passes out drinks and Joe tests his carefully before nodding to Nick that it's okay - escaping being spiked thus far. Nick takes a sip and smiles at Joe, and Joe thinks that maybe, even if that's all they're allowed to do tonight, as long as Nick keeps smiling at him like that, it's going to be enough.

The music is fast, upbeat and pop-y, just like Joe likes best, and for awhile they all dance in a big group, arms in the air, hips shaking to the beat.

When the music slows, love ballads replacing hip-hop beats and bubble-gum pop dance numbers, David draws Demi in, looping his hands around her waist. Joe looks uncertainly from Nick to Selena, and then back to Nick, and he nods at Joe, leaning over to ask Taylor if she wants to dance. She says yes, and so does Selena, and the four of them dance side by side, holding their partners close and looking at each other's partners the whole time. Eventually, Joe closes his eyes, resting his chin gently on the top of Selena's hair, and hopes she doesn't mind too much that he's trying his hardest to imagine he's holding Nick instead.

\---

Joe makes it through about four love songs before he has to make excuses to Selena and get out of there for a little while.

He leans his elbows against the sink of the guy's bathroom, breathing hard. He rolls up his sleeves, loosens his purple tie and splashes some water of his face, making silent apologies to Demi for the way it makes his bangs flatten and stick to his forehead. He closes his eyes and counts to ten, and then down from ten.

When he opens his eyes, he sees Nick standing behind him, a hard, sad look on his face.

Joe turns around slowly, smiling at him as sincerely as he can. "Sorry I disappeared there," he says, because he knows it has to be this tough on Nick too, and it's not fair, leaving him there with his date _and_ Joe's.

Nick shakes his head, letting Joe off the hook easily. Half of his mouth tries for a smile, but the other side stays stubbornly down-turned. "Demi wants us," he says eventually, clearing his throat. "She's got something she wants us to see, I don't know." He shrugs, but Joe nods immediately, not knowing what it is either, but not even considering making Demi wait.

When they get out into the hall, Demi is standing there, her hands on her hips, toe tapping. She winks at Joe to let him know she's only joking, but he feels bad anyway.

"Sorry," he mouths, but she rolls her eyes a little and he knows he's all the way forgiven.

"Taylor and Selena are taking pictures with some of the other girls from the squad, but I told them you'd catch up later."

"Thanks," he says, wondering if he'll ever run out of reasons to be grateful to her. She smiles at him, and he doesn't think he will.

"You said you have something to show us?" Nick asks, only a little sharply.

She winks at him too, and says, "Follow me."

They do, and Demi leads them down the halls, out of the school, and eventually onto the soccer field.

It's lit up - it always is - but it's different now. Not just the normal florescent lights that always keep the field bright, safe. Joe comes to run the track sometimes, at night, and he knows the buzz of the lights, the almost too bright glare they cast on the grass. But that light's been softened somehow, and when he looks up, he realizes they're turned off, white Christmas lights running up the tall lamp posts instead. Mouth hanging open, he walks closer, and sees confetti scattered across the ground in the north corner of the field, sees a small CD player tucked under the closest bleachers.

He looks at her dumbly, doing double takes between Demi and the field.

"You did this?"

She nods, walking close to kiss his forehead, and grab Joe by the hand, tugging him over to Nick and then passing Joe's hand to him. "I did this."

Nick is squeezing down so hard on Joe's hand Joe knows he won't be able to speak, not yet, but he thanks her for both of them, returning her kiss and saying, "You're my best friend, Dem."

She grins at him, happy and unsurprised, and says, "I know I am."

\---  
  
Once Demi leaves, Joe and Nick walk over to the CD player she left for them, leaning down and pressing play. It's Sinatra, crooning low and sexy and sweet, and Joe feels the music curl around him as Nick pulls him close, molding their bodies together. Joe closes his eyes, lays his head down on Nick's shoulder, and there, under the stars and the sky, with the soccer field at their feet, they dance until the music stops playing, and they dance some more, even slower, even sweeter, to the music playing only in their heads.

When they finally pull away, it's to the sounds of rowdy cheers and the crashing of bottles against pavement as a group of their classmates flood out of the gym's entrance, laughing and holding onto each other. They almost look stupid, Joe wants to think, but mostly they just look happy, and he feels the weight of Nick's gaze on him heavily.

Nick stays quiet for a long time, watching them disappear into the night, before he finally looks down at Joe, biting his lip, and says, "I'm sorry you can't have that," when of course, what's implied, what's really bothering Nick, is that he's sorry he can't be the one to give Joe that.

Joe shakes his head, pulling Nick back close, swaying their hips together so they're almost dancing again. "I don't need that, I just need this." He kisses Nick, soft and sweet, "I just need you."

"But I can't even give you a real prom," Nick protests, voice soft, but firm.

Joe hums a disagreement, and assures him truthfully, "This is all the prom I need."

\---

There's an after-party, but they don't go. They go back to the dance so Joe and Nick can officially be seen leaving with their dates, and then say goodnight to Selena and and Taylor as soon as they're out of sight of the school. As Joe watches them walk away, he sees theirs hands link up, swinging between them in time with their footsteps. He watches them go until they're out of sight, and then he and Nick ride in the limo to the hotel with David and Demi. The four of them say their good-byes in the lobby, shy smiles and scuffed toes.

When they get into the elevator, alone, Nick takes Joe's hand. Joe smiles at him in the reflection of the mirrored space, and Nick smiles back, squeezing his hand.

They walk to their room like that, fingers laced together, and Joe leans against Nick as he swipes their key card and eases the door open. When the door closes behind them, Joe feels pinned before Nick's hands are even on him, locked into place just with Nick's eyes.

Nick approaches him slowly, cupping Joe's face and leaning in close, so close, but not for a kiss, just to press his face into Joe's, breathing him in.

"You smell really good," Nick mutters almost sheepishly against Joe's cheek.

Joe chuckles, pleased, and says, "Demi lent me some stuff."

Nick makes a sound that's a compromise between a possessive and a pleased growl, nipping at Joe's bottom lip with his teeth.

"Yours," Joe promises before Nick even has to ask.

Nick hums happily, pulling away a little to ease off Joe's jacket, tossing it carefully to a near-by chair and then slowly starting to undo Joe's tie. Joe watches Nick the whole time he works out the knot and slips the fabric through, leaving the tie hanging undone around Joe's neck. Joe wonders why, for a minute, but then Nick uses the tie to pull Joe back in close, and hold him there, and Joe pretty much gets it. He makes a sound he is generously going to refer to as a moan, and not a squeak, as their mouths collide. Nick keeps one hand on Joe's tie and the other tangles up in his once perfect hair, and Joe kisses Nick with the intensity of a million stored up kisses, every one he withheld all night until this moment. Kisses him with the force and heat of so many collected from days and years before that.

They fumble their way to the bed, tugging at clothing, cursing whoever invented buttons and zippers and laughing at each other's incompetence. Nick's hands are shaking against Joe's bare skin, and even though they've been here before, done things with hands and mouths in dark corners and under covers, it feels different now, alone in their still lit-up hotel room with no one to be quiet for.

Joe says Nick's name over and over again against his skin, because he can, because he needs to, and Nick kisses him harder, deeper, like an answer, every time he does.

They're down to boxers and nothing else when Nick finally slows his onslaught, and Joe's chest rises and falls heavily underneath him, trying to catch his breath. He buries his face into Nick's neck, kissing his buzzing skin, imagining he can feel the hum of electricity between them.

"I love you, Nick," Joe declares, a vow that he always will.  
  
Nick's hands trail down Joe's sides, slipping under the waist of his boxers and Joe lifts up his hips to aid Nick's cause. He gasps a little at the pop of the elastic sliding off, feels his eyes go wide and he wants to be grabbing onto Nick, yanking him close, but he feels like he can't even move. Nick hovers above Joe, close enough that their noses touch.  
  
Joe's heart is beating so hard in his chest he's surprised he can even hear Nick when his lips graze Joe's and he whispers, "I love you, too."  
  
He shows Joe everyday but Nick almost never says it, and Joe's mouth turns up in a smile even as Nick presses in close for another kiss. His kisses start to come faster, faster, and Joe says, "Whoa, hey, there's no rush, Nick," but Nick just whines at the back of his throat, kissing Joe harder. Joe wants to give into him, to how good it feels, but there's something frantic, unsettling, about Nick's movements now, and that isn't how Joe wants their first real time together to be.

He fights away from Nick's lips and hands, struggling against his own want far more than Nick's protests, shifting away until he and Nick are lying side by side instead of on top on each other.

Joe reaches out and closes his fingers around Nick's wrist. "I'm not going anywhere," Joe reassures him softly.

Nick laughs a little, not looking at Joe. "Not yet."

"Hey," Joe says, squeezing hard against Nick's pulse, "I'll come back, every chance I get. And before we know it, you'll be there with me, right?" They haven't talked about college, not since Joe sent off his acceptance to Northwestern, but they don't have to talk about it to know it's there, a time they're dreading getting closer everyday.

Nick nods tightly, still staring at the bed-sheet instead of looking at Joe. "I'll be there. As long as you want me."

Joe hauls Nick to him, holding him close and kissing him, sharp and quick. "That's forever, Nick. We're forever."

Nick looks at him, finally, impossibly young and far too old, "Is it really forever?" He asks like he'll believe Joe, whatever his answer. Joe shakes a little, in the face of the faith Nick has in him. He swears to himself to always be worthy of it.

Joe closes his eyes, pressing his face against Nick's and feeling Nick's eyelashes brushing against his own cheek, as he says, "Yes, Nick. It's really forever."


End file.
